Media & Press

Published on 8/5/2021

In light of recent attempts by the Texas Legislature, the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) would like to formally voice objection to the Texas Senate Bill 3 and Texas House Bill 3979, and any future legislature that intends to diminish and altogether erase important historical people and events from our state’s history curriculum. Examples include but are not limited to Critical Race Theory, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a Dream” speech and works by influential and revered people such as César Chávez and Susan B. Anthony. These historical figures offer a deeper understanding of our state’s history by looking at these historical figures and events through a transnational approach. Senate Bill 3 intentionally excluded “most mentions of people of color and women from the state’s required curriculum.” More damaging perhaps is the fact that this exclusion includes, “history of white supremacy, including but not limited to the institution of slavery, the eugenics movement, and the Ku Klux Klan, and the ways which it is morally wrong.” It is sad in this day and age that we need to formally condone the teaching of white supremacy as morally wrong. As advocates for Chicanos in higher education and as staunch supporters of teaching American and Texas history accurately, we collectively and unequivocally denounce Texas House Bill 3979 and Senate Bill 3. These bills aim to erase our history and contradict our organization’s mission—"to improve educational …opportunities for Chicanos in higher education” and “assist in the promotion of the history and culture of Chicanos in higher education.” We stand in solidarity with our sibling educators in K-12 and in colleges and universities across the state and are eager to work with them in their efforts to continue to validate and celebrate the experiences of minoritized people who have been historically excluded but who have been such an imperative part of the Texas and American story.

Statement from TACHE state and regional leadership.

Members of our vibrant, hardworking, and resilient comunidad are being impacted once again. Yet again, our Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) hermanos y hermanas are being targeted and politicized by elected officials.

Attacks on the DACA program, unfortunately, are not new to the Latinx/Hispanic community. However, after a federal judge in Texas on Friday ruled illegal an Obama-era program that prevents the deportation of thousands of them brought into the U.S. as children, this attack hits us harder.

The ruling declared the DACA program unlawful, barring the government from approving any new applications, but leaving the program intact for existing recipients.

The Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) takes pride in knowing that our organization is comprised of Latinxs with diverse upbringings, personal and professional backgrounds, ideologies, orientations, and most importantly citizenship/status. Members of our beloved TACHE Familia are DACA recipients and they rely on this federal program to remain in the United States. We are here to let our beloved DACA members in TACHE, and in general, know that we are with you, we highly value you, we respect and need you, and will advocate with and for you.

We stand in solidarity and will continue to offer our support and advocate along with our partners for everyone impacted by the recent court decision. As we continue to monitor these recent events and the unknown that lies ahead for our undocumented youth and hopeful recipients, our State Board will meet to determine how to best serve and represent our DACA community.

Con ustedes en la lucha,
Dr. Mayra Olivares-Urueta, President and Dr. Florencio U. Aranda III, President-Elect